About his choice to officiate, Owens writes:
I made a decision to officiate the funeral of the slain rapper XXXTentacion. I am doing this because I have been asked by the family as he wanted a Buddhist service. I’m here to hold space for the family, friends, and fans while helping this young man transition into what is next for him. I am not condoning any of the violence he was associated with. All of this is complex and now my role is to support the process of grieving and to fulfill his wishes to have a service from the tradition of Buddhism that has helped and supported me so much.
(source: www.ionsroar.com)